Xbox One: Hardware and software specs detailed and analyzed

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After eight long years, we have finally met the Xbox 360’s successor: The Xbox One. While console makers never give away all of their secrets, we have cobbled together enough data from the official unveil, Q&A panels with various Microsoft execs, and statements issued by Microsoft that we now have a good idea of the software and hardware inside the Xbox One. Read on for details of the Xbox One’s hardware, software, and some analysis of the Xbox One’s pre-owned games controversy.

The Xbox One’s hardware specs

The Xbox One is powered by an 8-core x86 AMD CPU (almost certainly based on AMD’s Kabini), and a GPU that’s very similar to the Radeon 7790. There’s 8GB of DDR3 RAM (shared between the CPU and GPU), 32MB of very fast SRAM on the graphics die, and a total of 200GB of memory bandwidth (more on that later). There’s also some new silicon in Kinect 2.0, which will come with the Xbox One as standard, which we’ve covered in a separate story. Rounding out the hardware, there’s a Blu-ray drive, 500GB hard drive, 802.11n WiFi (with WiFi Direct), HDMI in and out, Gigabit Ethernet (yay!), and USB 3.0. There’ll be three 802.11n radios, so that the console can connect to your gamepads (WiFi Direct), mobile devices, and home network without added latency.

Xbox One hardware diagram. Note the ports on the back.

So far, so good — but, when you take a closer look, it’s clear that there’s still a lot of unanswered questions. Before the unveil yesterday, it was widely believed that the Xbox One’s SoC would feature eight AMD Jaguar cores — just like the PS4. The problem is, Jaguar (and its accompanying GCN GPUs) are 28nm parts — and yet, according to some journalists who got an exclusive peek at the Xbox One, Microsoft says the SoC is based on a 40nm process. It’s entirely possible that AMD somehow backported its 28nm parts to 40nm, but owing to the significant differences between the processes this would’ve been a very costly and time consuming task. It’s worth noting that we don’t have confirmation that the PS4 uses a 28nm chip, either. (Updated: The latest information seems to be that Microsoft got it wrong, and that it is in fact a 28nm SoC, just like Kabini.)

When it comes to the memory bandwidth, the Xbox One has 68GB/sec of main memory (8GB DDR3) bandwidth, 102GB/sec of bandwidth to the embedded SRAM (32MB), with the last 30GB/sec probably between the CPU and GPU, or perhaps between the CPU and peripherals (gamepads, Kinect, cable TV). This is a much more complicated setup than the PS4, which just has 176GB/sec of unified main memory (8GB GDDR5) bandwidth, usable by both the GPU and CPU. The real-world difference will probably be minor — though I would say that the PS4 probably has the edge, as developers don’t need to pay special heed to the Xbox One’s fast-but-small SRAM.

For a more detailed breakdown of the Xbox One’s hardware, we’ll have to wait until the console has been released and reverse engineered by enterprising hackers and crackers — or, if we’re lucky, Microsoft might release more information at E3.

The Xbox One’s software: Apps, games, and pre-owned games controversy

Perhaps for the first time in console history, the Xbox One unveil, and the Q&A panels that followed, focused more on the software than the hardware. Almost the entirety of the unveil showcased how first-party apps (Skype, NFL, Internet Explorer) will interact with your games, movies, and TV channels.

When it comes to games, the only real features that Microsoft discussed were Smart Match and Game DVR. Game DVR keeps a rolling record of your recent gameplay (so you don’t have to remember to press record!), and allows you to share it with your friends via social networks. Smart Match is a new matchmaking system, which presumably developers can tap into, instead of creating their own matchmaking system.

And then there’s the pre-owned games controversy. With the Xbox One, all games are fully installed to an internal, unremovable hard drive. The plus side is that you don’t need to hunt for the game disc whenever you want to play a game — but, on the negative side, Microsoft says you’ll have to pay a fee to install a game a second time, on another console. Unfortunately, Microsoft hasn’t been very clear about how big this fee will actually be; some reports suggest that that the fee will be as large as the game’s original price.

This, as you have probably guessed, is intended to cripple the pre-owned games market. While there have been a few official Microsoft statements over the last few days, the latest is this: “While there have been many potential scenarios discussed, today we have only confirmed that we designed Xbox One to enable our customers to trade-in and resell games at retail. Beyond that, we have not confirmed any specific scenarios.”

Three operating systems in one

According to Microsoft, the Xbox One runs three different operating systems. There’s a core operating system that’s based on Microsoft’s Hyper-V hypervisor technology, which boots up when you turn the console on. This hypervisor then boots up two further operating systems: Xbox OS, which runs the games, and an OS that’s based on Windows 8, which runs the apps (Skype, TV, etc.)

The Xbox OS and Windows-based OS run side-by-side, on hardware that’s virtualized by the hypervisor. Both OSes are permanently switched on and constantly rendering their video output, to enable instant switching/snapping between games and apps/TV. The Xbox OS is rebooted whenever you load a game, but the Windows-based OS is persistent until you turn the console off. It isn’t clear how the hardware resources are split between the two virtualized OSes, but hopefully the Xbox OS (games) gets most of the RAM and GPU time.

This is a very interesting and potentially very powerful setup. I actually speculated about the Xbox One running Windows 8 way back in July 2011. At the time, I theorized that Microsoft would develop a single OS (Windows 8) and interface (Metro) that unifies every form factor, from desktop, to tablet, to smartphone, to console. While I was only half right, it’s clear from the various demos, photos, and videos that the Xbox One will look and feel like a Windows 8 device. The grid-like Metro design language is there, snapping is there, the fonts are the same. While we’ll probably have to wait until the Build developer conference to find out more, it is also very likely that apps developed for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 will run on the Xbox One with minimal modification.

With the switch from a PowerPC CPU in the Xbox 360 to x86 in the Xbox One, it might also simplify the development and porting of games between Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, and Xbox One. We have almost no details on the Xbox One’s gaming OS, but it’s possible that it’s also been rejigged to share more of the Windows 8 kernel.

In short, the unification between all form factors is virtually complete. In theory, this is very exciting for Microsoft, consumers, and developers. In practice, Microsoft now needs to get off its ass and shift a ton of devices so that consumers and developers can actually take advantage of this utopian unified interface and ecosystem.

They’re going to pull something out of their asses for me to get excited about this… PS4 seems to be focusing more on games than this “all in one” home entertainment device. I don’t know of anybody who bought an Xbox 360 for its ability to watch Netflix.

The1nChicago

Well, think of it like Nokia who failed to move on Smartphones; or you may look at it as Sony and Nintendo losing handhelds games to smartphones. So in the end people love options. That said, I am a gamer and I love my xbox 360 and PS3 and will get both new consoles. However, I do play my Xbox more and tend to use my PS3 to only play Exclusives and Netflix.

IneffableCause

I don’t get why so many people are saying that it’s not game focused. There is no reason it can’t be an all-in-one and still have a strong gaming focus. They’ve showed some game content, but only what they’ve needed to show that it can pump out nice looking games. They’re leaving game details for E3. If their E3 presentation was just repeated info from this week it wouldn’t create the buzz you aim for from your E3 presentation on launch year.

http://twitter.com/austinburgin Austin Burgin

I’m just saying that it’s not game focused because of the amount of game they showed compared to the PS4 announcement. I get that they are showing a lot of the games at E3, and we’ll have to see what they announce to get me excited about Xbox again.

Phobos

I agree, the ps4 seems more oriented for games. Don’t use Netflix or any other crap I have a pc, BD, tv with those features.

http://www.facebook.com/BuuGieWuuGie Scott Harvey

And if I don’t have those devices? Why was it ok for those devices to implement these features and not your gaming system, which more than likely is the most used piece of hardware in your home besides your tv.

Let’s be clear. Your xbox has the power to run all these extra features to make a great all in one. Your other devices do not have the power to play modern games (with the exception of your PC of course) and be an all in one.

I didn’t buy my console to watch netflix, but I sure watch alot of netflix on my console. The reason I was so underwhelmed by the Sony PS4 reveal is they didn’t show me what sets the console apart from the competition. All I know is it is a game console that plays games. I already know the games are going to be great on both platforms so Sony really needs to show me something more compelling than a handful of mediocre exclusives.

thatdude38

Thats because they havent done a full release yet… all sony has done is give you some specs and some gameplay. They didn’t try to shock and awe you yet.

Marcus Finney

This sounds just like what ppl say about XBO and games… Everyone needs to just chill til E3. Let’s all put out fanboys down, and no body gets hurt…

The PS4 is focusing only on “games” because it can’t do anything else. They don’t have the software expertise of Microsoft. PS4 seems to be “focusing” on having people jumping into your games and posting your game film on the web, which is teenager crap.

Jermain Franklin

they’re focusing on games more than anything else because that’s what the PS4 is for

Tony_IA

Funny, everyone I know who bought a PS3 said it was due to the built in blue-ray player or Final Fantasy…that seems to be 50% game focused imo. Have you looked at TV’s & entertainment devices recently? It’s not so much about size as it is the “built-in features”. When built in features become the deciding factor on what you purchase, then making a game console with “built in features” sounds like a plus. Apple TV’s biggest complaint is it’s “lack” of outside features.
So I see what Microsoft is trying to do – the big question is, will it be what people want in a year? Will it be like the blue-ray player that made the PS3 a better choice over the XBox? Or will a new Halo/Final Fantasy game appear that will make all these other items trivial by comparison? We will see in a year….

Nik

I always knew consoles will not be as PC…NEVER!

http://www.facebook.com/matt.robusto.14 Matt Robusto

Check your grammer please. On a different note, no one came here to read that PC is superior to a console. I think any tech savvy person is well aware of the superior processing and graphics power of a PC; however, consoles are convenient and the Xbox One seeks to make a convenient all-in-one entertainment solution for the fraction of then price of a having a gaming PC, BD device, and smart TV separately.

99wolfspider .

You could have a BD Drive in a PC and have that PC hooked up to a TV. Gaming PCs don’t cost that much if you build them.

http://www.facebook.com/matt.robusto.14 Matt Robusto

Still going to cost more than a stock console, however. And what if I don’t want to build my own PC? The console is an easy and accessible solution. I by no means hate on PC. In fact, I would love to have a top line gaming rig, but I still love the convenience of being able to navigate from Netflix, to the internet, and to a game with my controller while I sit comfortably on my couch.

At least with the X1 it is the user experience that is different. Consoles will never be able to compete with PC from a raw horsepower stand point, so they need to appeal to people by showing off an experience that can’t be achieved elsewhere. I believe the X1 has shown us that at their reveal.

http://www.facebook.com/matt.robusto.14 Matt Robusto

Got to agree. I’m well aware of the fact that PC’s will always blow consoles out of the water, but the whole Xbox One experience has got me jazzed.

Eugene

You see… People who buy consoles are a disgrace to the gaming community because they dont spend money on decent gaming ie a pc

No your an embarrassment to gaming because you chose to judge other people’s gaming choices!

A true gamer would game on anything!

http://www.facebook.com/matt.robusto.14 Matt Robusto

Thank you and fuck Eugene for being a douche. Just because I don’t have the money or time to dedicate to gaming doesn’t make me a disgrace. I have a family to support through my full time job which I acquired after I graduated college. If being a hard working dad makes me a disgrace as a gamer, then so be it. But, who the fuck is anyone to judge me. I’m buying an X1. Eugene can get dick cancer for all I care.

Marcus Finney

Dick cancer… Nice…(Randy South Park Voice)

http://www.facebook.com/matt.robusto.14 Matt Robusto

Fix your grammer and maybe I’ll take this insult more seriously. Until then, have fun being an asshole.

Austin

I am a studying networking so I do by all means, know a lot about computers. We all know that PC raw power will always beat console’s raw power and I tried to get into PC gaming after playing Xbox 360 for many years. I built a PC for around $1000 and played a lot of games and I just can’t do it anymore. I feel like I spend more time getting the PC to function properly than I do playing any game at all. Not to mention the fact that if I want to take my gaming somewhere, I have to carry around a giant case, a ton of cables, a mouse, a mouse pad, a keyboard, and a monitor.

thatdude38

Well I’m glad that windows 8 will be on the xbox, have fun with the viruses that will ensue.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5619900 Adam Bozek

what virus do you speak of? and how does that have anything to do with windows 8 or xbox one? You do know that viruses have nothing to do with the OS? Are you talking about bugs? And if so which ones? Do make stupid statements.

thatdude38

what I’m saying is that anything that runs windows whether a locked down version or not is highly prone to getting malware. It may not be right away, but it will soon get there that the xbox will start to get malware just like everything else that runs any version or form of windows. And I meant malware in the previous post, lets not be picky…you knew what I meant.

GatzLoc

Exactly, it’s the same architecture now and the same os. LOLOL ensues, esp. when xbox has a weaker gpu and overall worse hardware than ps4. On top of that, it’s running more aka another 2 os, + kinect.

Ps4 wins this gen. Ps2 is back!

Ironmanxrs2

That’s just ignorant. PS4 is still largely smoke at this point. Wait until it materializes. The media functions of the XBO are truly drewlworthy. Games will be shown @ E3!

bobob

You are not going to get viruses on it.The Xbox 1 from 2002 had windows on it and look at it. Thare were no viruses on it and it was hard to hack/mod. It not doing to be windows on your computer so stop being picky thare is no reason to. Every thing is going to alright.

http://v4534352v4vv4ct.net Tux

No, Adam Bozek, are you joking? Windows is desighned to be an end user system where as any *nix sytem is made to run on server and is thus more secure. So yes Zack Thompson is right just like every microsoft the xbone OS sucks.

99wolfspider .

It will be using a locked up version of windows 8 without any desktop interface. Getting a virus on this would be virtually impossible.

Windows is still based on the old system. While they may have made it a LITTLE more secure, it still has an absolutely horrific base that they are building it on. Until they do a total overhaul and copy apple the rest of the way on their operating system, it will remain so.

http://www.facebook.com/matt.robusto.14 Matt Robusto

Dumbest comment ever. I’m sorry, I don’t want to be an ass; however, the OS has nothing go do with how easy a console can be hacked.

Phobos

Here’s one thing they haven’t mention, the blue ray for games you wont get to use it that often. Once you buy the game it will install into the console, meaning say good bye to the old times when your friend ask you if he can borrow that game or if he wanted to buy it from you. Way to go MS. I hope the ps4 doesn’t have that feature.

It would be illogical to think they don’t. MS wouldn’t implement a feature like this on their own. There is no direct benefit to them. This must have been pushed by publishers and considering Sony and MS share publishers it is pretty safe to say that this feature will be on the PS4 as well. I appreciate MS for being upfront about it from the get-go.

Ironmanxrs2

I think MS is changing the way we think about “trading” games. I think games(activation codes) will be openly traded in online “marketplaces”. Shops like gamestop will sell used games w/activation codes. It’s just a modern method.

Phobos

lets hope so. Otherwise their will be some very angry customers.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5619900 Adam Bozek

Why are people crying about the media function of this machine… it is not the focal point… It was just the focus of the reveal since they are saving alot of gameplay for E3. If you want to play your 360 games so bad then plug back in your old xbox… Focus on the 8-core CPU, 8GB of system memory, and a 500GB hard disc drive. That includes customized AMD accelerated processor units integrating the chip maker’s forthcoming Jaguar-class CPU cores and Radeon graphics, as well as a memory controller, video decoder, and other functionality. Those specs are a huge jump from the 360. Save your complaining for things like the red ring of death or the PS3 network being down for a month. Don’t complain about features they added that you don’t like.

GatzLoc

Xbox has worse hardware than ps4. Lol, I dont even have an optical drive on my pc, havnt for close to 5 years now, had to use an external once. Literally,

Ironmanxrs2

Not figuratively?

Onex

More Bang for your buck when you pay for live everyone knows that. Not to mention XBOX now has Blue-Ray. i mean what more do you want. Plus XBOX controller looks better then the retarded fragile looking PlayStation controller its pathetic.

Eugene

Who needs to pay for multiplayer when you’ve got a PC…

Ironmanxrs2

Anyone who wants a good non-modded non glitchy user experience. I’d rather play in an environment where everyone is using the same system setup.

vanners

Hey Grampa, where’d you find that idea? In the bottom of an old chest in the attic? Sooo last century!

Jeff Jones

They were probably going for the play on words. Xbox Won (One)

Eugene

Ah.. you see… They said 8 cores to make it sound powerful so that all the COD kiddies who buy one can say HAHA to the people with computers because they have an EIGHT CORE Xbox one!! OMG…

No. Just No.

They never mentioned the clock speed of the 8 core processor. That is what really matters. I sold my xbox for a pc because I have a brain.

Ironmanxrs2

So you think a dedicated console processor speed is the same as PC processor speed? PC’s waste a ton of resources. Good luck with your PC! I’ll be having fun.

iron_dinges

Have you heard of XBO’s side-by-side OSes? This will be way more of a waste that even a regular Windows PC (compared to Linux).

Ironmanxrs2

I actually don’t think it will be. The reason being that developers know exactly what hardware is in the box and can optimize. PC is greatly fragmented with different SOCs 32 and 64 bit versions, GPUs, Motherboards, etc.

bobob

Ok. The xbox 360 a triple core CPU with HT at 3.2gh. This one has 8 cores at 2.2 gh so shut up about the damn cpu speed and look things up beffor you bitch about stuff. And yes it can be better then many computers.

Oh, good analysis! But I like play Xbox 360 games even read some articles from Aneesoft resource. While Xbox one can’t support 360 games. It’s a bad news to me.

http://www.facebook.com/phillip.trafford Phillip Trafford

Here’s the thing, I have had playstations and Xbox (all gens) plus a PC and gamed plenty on all devices. Tbh I prefer PC for most games I play but for FPS games I prefer Xbox. The controller was built for an adults hands and the system itself including the network provides superior experiences over PS. Also on the auto install of a game to the hard drive, that is a Terrible idea for both consoles. They will put many people out of business (like GameStop and gamefly) much like redbox has done to movie rental stores. Not to mention you will more than likely have to pay for “cloud” storage if you fill the HDD up with too many games, movies, music. I love my Console Don’t get me wrong but I think I’m gonna pass and invest the $$ I would’ve spent on the Xbox One into my PC. Our economy is shitty enough we don’t need greedy publishers putting thousands of people out of work.

Ironmanxrs2

- External Hardrives are available

– Used games will still be sold with activation codes

http://www.facebook.com/matt.robusto.14 Matt Robusto

Based on some prior comments, I’m sure that MS and the MS network will offer “trade” codes for a nominal fee along side used games to keep te used game sector alive, lest they lose a huge portion of dedicated, yet budget sensitive gamers.

Joseph Blower

I was excited about the Xbox One (XBO), entirely because of the universal inclusion of the Kinect 2. Now I’m highly ambivalent, for several reasons.
.
.
***THE XBO IS LESS POWERFUL THAN THE PS4***
.
– The XBO has less usable RAM than the PS4–I’ve read that the OS uses ~4 GB of memory, leaving 4 GB for games. The PS4 has 8 GB dedicated to games).
.
– The PS4 GPU is apparently much more powerful: (See: http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-7870-vs-Radeon-HD-7790, for the ps4 and xbox gpu, respectively [derived from http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/156273-xbox-720-vs-ps4-vs-pc-how-the-hardware-specs-compare).
.
– The XBO has slower RAM than the PS4 (GDDR3 vs. GDDR4–a big difference). The XBO’s 32 MB of faster on-die cache is a patch-job)
.
.
***THE XBO (partly) LOCKS OUT USED GAMES***
.
– It effectively (at least partly) locks out used games (e.g. can’t sell at gamestop). MS has been disingenuous in conveying these limitations (which typical of the company).
.
.
***THE XBO EMPHASIZES NON-GAME CONTENT***
.
Finally, and most damagingly–there is an undue emphasis on non-game content. This is problematic for several reasons.
.
– Other devices do these things better: e.g. I have a portable iPad and my PC is connected directly to my TV, etc. These devices are better for non-game purposes than the Xbox One is likely to ever be. This functionality is not only redundant, but also inferior to the alternatives.
– Emphasis on non-game content wastes system RAM and other resources(mentioned earlier; is due to the support for seamless multitasking)
– Non-game content wasted development resources (in developing the system hardware and software)
– **Most importantly** Any product that tries to be all things to all people is likely to satisfy nobody (a brief anecdote: Steve Jobs advised one of the Google founders that the company was becoming like MS-trying to do too many things and doing nothing particularly well. A result was the strategic decision to put “more wood behind fewer arrows”).
.
The final point is the biggest reason why, I think, MS has catastrophically screwed up with the XBO. I think the XBO will have maybe ~1/2 the market share of the PS4, within a few years (unless the virtues of the Kinect 2 can offset the above-mentioned detriments–dubious).
.
In short: the XBO seems a crippled system that tries to do everything.

Ironmanxrs2

- You have no idea how much the XBO OS uses vs. the PS4 OS

– E3 will show games, XBOX emphasizes non gaming content because it HAS it

– You have no idea which system is more powerful because you have no idea how the architectures work. This is not an off the shelf PC. Move engines and memory bandwiths matter a lot. It’s not just the base RAM speed.

– Did you think smartphones were a terrible idea because it tried to be a phone and a palm pilot and an internet device? You would have been out of business by now.

Marcus Finney

So many wrong statements/bad knowledge/speculation as fact.

#FanBoyTears

Joseph Blower

Contentless comment presented as something worth reading. (And I’m no fanboy: I prefer the PC, but I’ll probably buy all three next gen consoles, eventually.)

#IdiotPostersShouldEatShitAndDie

Marcus Finney

So many wrong statements/bad knowledge/speculation as fact.

#FanBoyTears

kerry

The device seem a bit bulky but it has some good gaming specs under the hood as they say

What’s the price for the xbox one and ps4? One would assume the xbox one would be cheaper than the ps4.

Ironmanxrs2

Why should it be? I”d venture to say the innovation put into the XBO far outweighs the PS4.

Phobos

Oh I don’t know maybe because the xbox one has the equivalent of radeon 7790 vs the ps4 7870, perhaps the difference between ddr3 vs ddr5.

Ironmanxrs2

I think their architectural design is different. They will run equally strong. Who knows how the GGDR5 will work in the PS4. It’s video RAM.

Xbox One Forums

The whole Window integration could be a good thing… if it’s done correctly. Let’s home Microsoft finally gets it right! – http://www.XboxOneForu.ms

iron_dinges

Phishing?

mindfury

RIP dvd players.

Roger Christie

Always on camera and microphone. What could possibly go wrong?

Travis Pummel

I notice no one has a problem with the privacy issue I have I hate the Kinect and don’t want cameras on me so xbox can spy on me all day and I buy used games and all this is a bunch of BS I am surely one of only thousands who will not be buying a system that’s going to shackle me to them Microsoft is going to far this is not what I want at all it is closing to many doors and pulling it’s self away from the mainstream will kill it

Rraven Witchell

This article was more comprehensive than the Xbox One teaser unveiling.

iron_dinges

Sounds like it would be easier to hack – installing the OS(es) on a PC.

crazypete1

Yup. I think so too. Looking forward to playing xbox games on my PC.

P.s.

You have the processor wrong, I used to work at the factory that made it. AMD did not make the 360 processor and they did not make this one either.

chew

this is just the same thing its not worth it to by the samething this just like the 360. microsoft needs to inprove it before saleing it. you can do the samething on xbox 360 this is just a another dispointing thing they have made

http://www.facebook.com/people/Steve-Burnet/502634899 Steve Burnet

Yes, just like the 360 with a faster processor, more ram, Blu ray capabilities etc. The same thing every other console ‘upgrade’ is – a faster machine

chew

this is just the same thing its not worth it to by the samething this just like the 360. microsoft needs to inprove it before saleing it. you can do the samething on xbox 360 this is just a another dispointing thing they have made

crazypete1

So what is to stop me from running the same setup on my PC (hyper-V + the xbox OS)? I’d need an actual copy of the OS and there may be some protection, but I assume it will be hacked pretty quickly.
Then I don’t need the xbox at all.

Dustin Horne

The xbox OS will target the specific hardware architecture of the xbox (APU + GPU) which you won’t be able to replicate in your PC.

crazypete1

We can buy Jaguar APUs and the respective graphics cards. Will it be exactly the same? No, but very close, and more importantly all the instruction sets are identical.
We’ll have to wait to see how specific the OS will actually be.

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